Syracuse, N.Y. — Whether it was the late loss to Pittsburgh or the threat of his career coming to a close weeks before he anticipated, Jay Bromley ditched the calm, cool demeanor he carried all season.

When Syracuse's defensive tackle strode to the podium for his post-game press conference after a 17-16 loss to Pittsburgh, Bromley's words took on the passion of his play, not the calming nature of his influence all year.

The senior captain, likely the team's MVP this season, spoke with frustration that the rest of Orange assuredly felt, none more than he and the seniors who enter next week's game against Boston College with careers on the line.

"We can't go into this game against Boston College thinking that we are a good team," Bromley said. "We have to practice better, we have to play better, we have to do a lot of things better to win. Period. We can't keep saying, 'Oh, we killed ourselves and stop shooting yourselves in the foot.' Man, put away the gun. You can't keep doing that and expect to come out victorious. It gets frustrating to a point. You come so close and you lose games because of little, minute things.

"We've got one shot."

A bowl game, which head coach Scott Shafer referred to as an "unspoken challenge," can be reached with a victory, extending Syracuse's season into December. A loss would put the year and careers to an immediate end.

That one shot comes next week in the Carrier Dome against Boston College on Saturday. The Eagles will come in at 7-4, toting running back Andre Williams, who eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark during a 29-26 win over Maryland on Saturday. He's played himself into an outside chance at being a Heisman finalist and his team has won four straight.

The Eagles, led by new coach Steve Addazio and picked by most to finish last in the ACC, come in with no pressure. The Orange has everything on the line.

"You're never going to see a team work harder than us this week," captain Macky MacPherson said. "Our backs are against the wall, we're in a corner, it's do-or-die time."

"That's the thing, man, you can't make it more than what it is," senior Lewellyn Coker said. "No changes because we're seniors. It's football. If you let everything get to you, you can lose control of how you play. You just got to enjoy it."

While the loss to Pittsburgh was Syracuse's sixth of the season, it was by far the most painful. Four came by blowout scores and the fifth, against Penn State, arrived in the opener when all the errors seemed correctable.

The fact that there have been 10 games in between, and mistakes are still being made, is the issue Bromley bemoaned the most.

Syracuse averaged more yards per play and fewer turnovers than Pittsburgh, but Bromley walked away insisting the better team had won.

The Orange had an extra point blocked and a missed field goal, dropped touchdown passes and a plague of penalties (8 for 77 yards).

Bromley stepped forward on Saturday and demanded an end to it all.

After all, he only has one chance left.

"From me at the top to everyone else on the team, we have to take small steps in the right direction," Bromley said. "We only have one week to get it done against a good Boston College team, a better Boston College team."